1. Is there special handling for natural, organic and vegan products?
2. What is the shelf life of your products?
3. What is the FREE bag program about?
4. Do you have a recycling program for your containers?
5. How are your products different from other natural products?
6. What makes you an Eco-Friendly company?
7. I've read that preservatives are necessary to avoid contamination and that they are not harmful, if used in dosages of less than 1%. Why your concern?
8. I am not familiar with some of the ingredient names you use. Why are ingredients not just listed in plain English?
9. I want to try your products before using them. Can I get samples?
10. I have a coupon. How do I redeem it?
1. Is there special handling for natural, organic and vegan products?
We recommend the following:
Lotions and creams last a lot longer when they do not get contaminated through touch. Using your fingers to retrieve the product from its container is not a good idea. A spatula is a much better choice. We package most such items in pump containers to keep them clear of germs. Also, keep an eye on your products. Much like food, you should discard of leftover product, if you notice a different smell or if there is visible contamination. Store product in a cool, dark place.
You can find the estimated shelf life of each product with its description.
We do our part by packaging your products fresh at the time of your order, so that you can enjoy full shelf life.
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2. What is the shelf life of your products?
While we have general guidelines for shelf life (they are listed with each product), much depends on handling. For example, products stored in cool and dark places will last longer than products exposed to light and heat. Under ideal conditions, most products should be used within 3-18 months. Most oils and lip balms will last 12-24 months, though we recommend usage within 12 months. Again, think of your skin care the way you think about your food. The fresher the better!
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3. What is the FREE bag program about?
The FREE shopping bag program was implemented to reduce the overuse of grocery store paper and plastic bags. If everyone brought their own reusable bags to the store, we would greatly reduce the waste tied to production and disposal of paper and plastic bags. We would love to see grocery stores eliminate them completely, so more people would have to think about their actions, but since such a change is unlikely to occur any time soon, we are trying do do our part in addressing the problem. We are great supporters of marine preservation and fully aware of the damage done to our oceans by the use of plastic bags. Americans use over 100 billion plastic bags each year, resulting in over 100,000 marine animal deaths. The plastic bag you use today may still be around 1000 years from now. Isn't that knowledge worth a couple of reusable shopping totes? If you'd like to help further, please contact your local grocery store and let them know that you'd like to see them offer reusable bags and eliminate disposable bags. Please email us for additional information about this issue and thank you for your support!
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4. Do you have a recycling program for your containers?
Yes, we do. All glass containers (Renew Cleanser, Therapy Cleanser, Refine Eye Serum, Escape Sea Salt, Therapy Sea Salt) can be sterilized and re-used. Please send them back to us (you can collect a few before sending them). We will credit the postage back to your next order. We do not profit from this effort in any way; it solely serves the purpose of waste reduction.
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5. How are your products different from other natural products?
We encourage use of natural products, regardless of where you buy them, but we also urge you to read the label closely. Most products contain water as their primary ingredient, which means that the product could be anywhere from 50% to 80% water. This is an important consideration when weighing the value of a prouct. After all, who wants to pay for water? Aside from our toners, where water (de-ionized) is necessary for dilution of concentrated substances, we use beneficial alternatives, such as Aloe, for example. We have an ethical obligation to provide value to our clients and this is one of the ways in which we can do just that. In addition, we research our ingredients extensively to make sure they are truly grown under the purest, most sustainable circumstances.
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6. What makes you an Eco-Friendly company?
There is much to be done to restore balance on our planet and waste reduction is something we all can contribute to. We recycle the packging our ingredients come in, package proucts in recyclable containers most widely accepted by Waste Management companies. We compost byproducts and simply don't purchase any items that are not biodegradable. We offer a recycling product for our containers and re-usable shopping bags to fight the wasteful use of store plastic and paper bags. We contribute a portion of every purchase to charities fighting global warming and aiding marine preservation and animal welfare. Our monthly newsletters are educational and offer great ideas on how to live in harmony with nature. We have partnered with carbonfund.org to offset our annual carbon production, "reducing what we can, offsetting what we can't." Finally, we regularly offer seminars to let others know how they can make a difference as well and are involved in several community education programs.
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7. I've read that preservatives are necessary to avoid contamination and that they are not harmful, if used in dosages of less than 1%. Why your concern?
First, think about your daily beauty and hygiene routine. You get up and shower, wash your hair, condition your hair and apply body wash, maybe shaving cream. Then you wash your face, tone it, moisturize it, maybe apply body lotion, put on your deodorant, use products to style your hair and if you are a woman, chances are you use several forms of make-up, perhaps nail polish, too. During the day, many people repeatedly apply hand lotions and lip balms. Then there is sunscreen, self-tanning lotion, massage oil, manicure and pedicure products and fragrance, all in the name of beauty. So you may have a point about the preservatives in a single product, but add them up and you will find yourself wondering. Secondly, preservatives serve to extend shelf life. No product is safe from eventual decay. What you have to ask yourself is this: do you want to apply skin care that is made to last three years? Do you enjoy eating food that would last three years or do you more often find yourself eating fresh foods? We think about our products the way we think about our food and we prefer our cosmetics fresh, naturally preserved and biodegradable. For more on preservatives, please visit our 'About Cosmetic Ingredients' page.
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8. I am not familiar with some of the ingredient names you use. Why are ingredients not just listed in plain English?
As approved signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and in light of our commitment to European Union safety standards, we are required to list all ingredients in the internationally recognized INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) format. The INCI system is based on the scientific names of the ingredients, recognized in worldwide trade. Listing ingredients this way avoids misrepresentation of similar ingredients and ensures full disclosure. We list the common names for all substances in paranthesis next to the INCI name. You can also check the safety rating of our product line via safecosmetics.org, an independent consumer watchdog organization.
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9. I want to try your products before using them. Can I get samples?
We have had an overwhelming request for product samples. Please understand that the cost of production for high quality natural and organic products is several times that of regular commercial products. At the same time, our profit margins are a lot smaller, as it is important to us to keep the products affordable. We always send a free sample with orders. Aside from that, we are offering several sample kits for purchase AT COST in our online store. Please click on the Products tab to order a kit.
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10. I have a coupon. How do I redeem it?
Please enter the coupon code into the appropriate field at checkout and it will automatically be applied to your order.
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